Park Planned Homes is a landmark Mid-Century Modern residential development designed by visionary American architect Gregory Ain in collaboration with landscape designer Garrett Eckbo and built in Altadena, California from 1946–1948. It is celebrated as one of the earliest modernist housing tracts in the United States and a pioneering experiment in socially conscious community planning.

Rather than repeating the repetitive, cookie-cutter subdivisions typical of the post-World War II era, Ain conceived Park Planned Homes as a “park-like” neighborhood that blurred the boundaries between private and communal life. Homes were placed without front fences and unified by continuous landscaping and shared green space to encourage interaction and a sense of belonging.

The development was originally planned for 60 houses but due to material shortages and other challenges, only 28 units were completed. Despite its small size, it exemplified innovation: houses with side-facing garages, interior courtyards, expansive glass walls, and clerestory windows created a strong connection to nature and natural light, while also providing privacy within an open plan.

Ain’s underlying goal was to redefine suburban living — offering affordable, well-designed homes for working families that fostered community engagement and enhanced quality of life. The project combined economical building techniques with thoughtful planning to balance individual comfort and collective experience.

While most of the Park Planned Homes were tragically lost in the 2025 Eaton Fire, the development remains influential in architectural history as a forward-looking model of integrated design, green space, and community-centered living that anticipated later trends in sustainable and socially responsive housing.